Monthly Archives: September 2024

Reflecting on my experience writing Essay 1, I learned that following specific instructions was crucial. For example, I now understand that when the assignment asked for a thesis statement about an idea in the Rader article, it was necessary to focus solely on that specific requirement. This meant carefully analyzing the Rader article to identify a clear and focused idea to center the thesis statement around. Additionally, I realized the significance of providing in-text citations for all attributed quotes, as demonstrated in the student’s essay. Understanding the importance of properly attributing sources and using citations has not only improved the credibility of my work but has also helped me avoid unintentional plagiarism. These realizations have changed my approach to writing assignments. I now pay closer attention to the details outlined in the instructions to ensure that my work meets the specific criteria, and I am more diligent in incorporating proper citations to support my arguments and ideas.

Writing essay one was challenging for me because of the multi-layered aspect of this assignment. Even though this was an opinionative essay I struggled to write my essay following such specific guidelines. Due to these guidelines, for a while my paper felt “stiff”; it lacked flow and individualism. Another struggle I faced was critiquing the sample student essay.  The process felt harsh, but to follow the instructions given to me, I had to ensure the student properly adhered to the guidelines given. One lesson I’ve learnt is the importance of having your essay line up with your thesis statement. I realized that while writing my essay, all my main points hinged on what is written in my thesis. It is also important to ensure the body of your essay is not contradictory to the thesis statement. Due to this realization, I approached my thesis differently. I spent extra time to ensure that I had a thesis that effectively expressed my thoughts on the sample student essay.  

My experience with writing Essay Number One was an unexpected rollercoaster. I was so intent on ensuring everything was perfect. I wanted to include every quote seamlessly without skipping a point in the outline so badly that I forgot what the substance of the Sample Essay was really about. I had slipped up on something I should have noticed all because I wanted to make sure that I did the essay on time and that it made complete sense, grammatically. So I realized that sometimes I need to step back and take my time with my outline at first and not overlook the pre-writing assignments as just part of my homework but rather as a stepping stone for what my essay will consist of. This will change my approach to writing essays for the rest of the semester because for one, I haven’t written an essay in a long time and I feel a lot more comfortable now, and two, I think I finally got my rhythm of how ill be setting up my essays and to ensure I won’t procrastinate write a paragraph day by day so I can take time with my thoughts. I’m very excited about the next essay and I hope that my revision for the first essay is better than the last.

In writing the Essay # 1, I realized that I struggled with proper formatting and misused quotes, which weakened my argument. My citations were inconsistent, and I did not integrate quotes smoothly into the text. Also after reading Professor’s comment, I realized that I used too much of the abstract language which clouded my message, making it harder to communicate clearly. These mistakes obstructed the overall flow and clarity of my essay. Moving forward, I plan to focus on improving my formatting by closely following MLA guideline. Additionally, I will work on selecting more relevant quotes and include them naturally, ensuring they support my points effectively.

After reading, Toni Cade Bambara’s short story ” The Lesson”. My plan is to name my essay ‘’ Emotional growth and inner conflict”. Sylvia’s journey is characterized by a complex emotional landscape. Her journey from ignorance to awareness is filled with misunderstanding, anger, and finally, realization. This inner conflict reminds me of the common experience of growing up, as kids have trouble understanding how to fit in with the world. The turning point that she experiences at the toy store captures her battle with emotions of insufficiency and tough realities of value, both fundamental and physical. Some topics I would cover throughout my essay are character development, symbolism, conflict resolution and themes of forgiveness and acceptance. By concentrating on these elements, my essay can provide further insight into the complex nature of inner conflict and emotional development, expanding our comprehension of the character’s journey beyond socioeconomic factors.

When writing an essay about Toni Cade Bambara’s story “The Lesson”, I would focus on Sylvia’s strong opposition to Miss Moore’s lessons. I would try to connect her feelings with the broader socio-economic issue of black children’s relationship with education during that time. When Sylvia described Miss Moore’s educational background, she spoke about her being a college graduate with disdain. When she briefly described Miss More’s relationship with the community, she notes that her neighbors spoke about Miss Moore “behind her back like a dog”. They spoke about the fact that she didn’t go to church but would feel shameful when she brought them gifts. To me, this speaks to the testament of how black people disregarded education because it was unattainable. This might be the reason why Sylvia treats Miss Moore and her lessons with open hostility; her lessons remind her of the education that Sylvia knows deep down how hard it would be for her to achieve. Throughout the story, Sylvia is depicted as a little girl with immense pride and a strong sense of independence. She marches to her own beat and drags along her friend, Sugar, for the ride. The combination of her pride and independence mixed with her socio-economic background is something that a lot of black people during that time period used to disparage education.

I think this essay focuses more than the socio-economic issues in “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, you might look at how Slyvia grows and becomes more self-aware. At first, Sylvia is resistant, shown when she says, ” I’m really hating this nappy-head bitch and her goddamn college degree”, which emphasizes her first defiance towards Miss Moore. By the end, Sylvia reflection ” Ain’t nobody gonna beat me at nuthin,” shows she’s starting to think differently and she feels more determined.  Another perspective is Miss Moore could be seen as pushing the kids to see things differently, especially when she said, “Where we are is who we are,” encouraging them to question their surroundings. The toy store could symbolize dreams, when a toy is expensive it represents both dreams and aspirations: the wanting and The work. If I had to give this a title for this essay it would probably be “Growth and Symbols”.

So after reading “ The Lesson” by Toni Cade,  I can see that the essay shifts focus away from the socioeconomic theme that could have been more explored into a intricate dynamic in the character development, relationship and identity. One possible approach that could have been analyze the narrators point of view, on how her defiance and internal conflict including the eventual introspection reflecting her coming of age process. But with the subtle tension between Miss Moore’s and Sylvia shows more about their personalities and the cultural divided between them. Also another interesting thing is the importance of the setting because how Bambara contrast the world of Harlem with the affluent Fifth Avenue store. In other words I would have renamed the essay title as “ Beneath the Surface”.

I will write about wealth inequality and I will give this essay title called “the wealth inequality of the word”. In this essay, “lesson”, by Toni Cade Bambara, Miss Moore asks a group of children if they know what money is like and says this world is made of wealth inequality. She also says they are poor and live in the slums. Sylvia personally doesn’t agree with her until they go to the fifth Avenue. They see the price of a hand-crafted sailboat of fiberglass through the window of a toy store and that cost one thousand one hundred ninety five dollars. When she saw this price she was very shocked and couldn’t believe this sailboat cost that much. Her sailboat is just fifty cents, she doesn’t believe people will buy that expensive sailboat and believe this sailboat should have a motor or other special on it. Unfortunately, there was nothing special on this sailboat, just a handmade sailboat. There is a big gap between the poor and the rich. They don’t care how much this thing is worth,because they can afford it. For low income people like Sylvia won’t spend that much on a sailboat. Even if she has the money, she will spend this money on other places, but it is likely that she still couldn’t afford it with her savings. When Miss Bambara tells them to go inside the store everyone stops moving including her. This made her very angry because she felt that this was not like usual self where she could go wherever she wanted. She thought in her mind but her body just can’t move forward. No one moves because they feel the inequality between poor and rich, they know they can’t afford anything in this store. Finally they followed Miss Moore into this […]

Toni Cade brings us through many different facets in “The Lesson.” She explores economic disparity, the lack of socioeconomic security, and the effects of growing up in a marginalized community. A part of the story that I found very interesting, and one I could resonate with, is witnessing how Sylvia’s attitude changed as they made their way through the toy store. At the beginning of the story, Sylvia appears to be a very outspoken individual with strong opinions on her classmates, environment, and Miss Moore. However, as Miss Moore takes the children outside of their comfort zone, she’s able to evoke many different emotions out of them, including Sylvia. As an individual who grew up in the North Bronx within a poor community, I could resonate with her feelings of apprehensiveness and uncomfortability being in such an expensive store. I’ve had the pleasure of being a nanny to many different wealthy families in NYC, with whom I’ve traveled to The Hamptons, Martha’s Vineyard, and overseas. Similar to Sylvia, initially being within those dynamics and out of my element, I would feel uncomfortable as if I didn’t belong, “But I feel funny, shame. But what have I got to be shamed about? Got as much right to go in as anybody” (Sylvia). I would often times find myself rationalizing my being there and meeting such successful people. Unlike Sylvia, my feelings didn’t manifest into anger and resentment but more so a curiosity to learn as much about the places I was visiting and the people around me to further educate myself. Which was Miss Moore’s objective with the children—to provide them with exposure to cultivate a new way of thinking. I was saddened to realize that, unlike Sugar and Mercedes, who adopted an introspective attitude at the end of the trip, […]

A topic I would write in an essay on “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara that doesn’t talk about the socio-economic issues in the story but more on an interesting detail would be about the impact this trip to Fifth Avenue with Miss Moore has left on the children. In the beginning of the story, the main character and the other children weren’t quite familiar with the world outside their own that was until a lady named Miss Moore brought them to Fifth Avenue where they learned how about the unjust equal opportunity. There, they found expensive toys that costed more than enough to feed a whole family which made the main character, Sylvia, angry. But besides the anger towards how unequal they found she society was, I believe that this whole trip had a major impact that changed these children’s views of the world and possibly even affected them to work hard for their future. A different title I would give the story would be “The Impact.”  

If I were to write an essay about “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, I would entitle it “Role Model” or “It Takes a Village.” In the essay, I would focus on Ms. Moore’s unwavering dedication to expanding the minds of neighborhood kids by introducing them to experiences beyond their immediate environment, such as upscale toy stores like FAO Schwarz, demonstrating her belief in the transformative power of knowledge and exposure. Ms. Moore’s emphasis on education and critical thinking is evident in her interactions with the children, particularly in her conversations with Sylvia. When Sylvia questions the lesson’s relevance to their lives, Ms. Moore encourages her to engage with the realities of social and economic inequality critically, challenging the children to think beyond their immediate circumstances. She motivates them to question, analyze, and seek understanding, nurturing a sense of agency and empowerment. Ms. Moore’s influence cultivates curiosity and critical awareness, establishing her as a positive role model committed to the children’s development.

If I had to write an essay that focuses less on socio-economic issues and more about interesting/important details or elements in the story “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, I would probably decide to write about the symbolism that Toni Cade Bambara added into this story. One of the symbols I saw was when they went to the toy store and as they were looking through the window, they saw a boat that was priced at one thousand one hundred ninety- five dollars. Sylvia had to reread it twice because of how ridiculous she thought the price was for one toy, which I agree on. Sylvia was shocked and a bit angered at this which can symbolize that she has a different perspective on what to spend money on as well as the relationship she has with money and wealth. This one toy can symbolize the difference between poverty and wealth, depending on who’d buy that and who wouldn’t even believe the price. Lastly, the title I’d give this essay would be something basic and maybe along the lines of “Symbolism in The Lesson”

In an essay focused less on socio-economic issues and more on other important elements in Toni Cade Bambara’s “The Lesson,” I would explore the themes of personal growth and mentorship, particularly through the lens of childhood challenges. The story highlights Sylvia’s journey of self-awareness, as she navigates her environment with growing curiosity and observation. Miss Moore, with her appearance and approach—”nappy hair, proper speech, and no makeup”, serves as a symbol of individuality and defiance of societal norms, pushing the children to question their surroundings and aspire for more. While Sylvia’s educational background remains ambiguous, her sharp observational skills show her potential to transcend the limitations of her upbringing. The real focus of the story is on internal struggles and the awakening of perception, as Sylvia begins to grasp that her circumstances don’t have to define her future. The title for this essay would be “The Awakening of Perception: Navigating Childhood Challenges and Mentorship,” highlighting how mentorship helps shape a deeper understanding of the world beyond material inequalities.

After reading through the short story “The Lesson”, the title would be “Through the Lense of Childhood Challenges”. Bambara made a very good point about the fact childhood life exists with challenges as well as challenges that come with it. Stories can tell us something about what had happened at the time of setting within the writing, and something big for it to represent the situation. I think for this short story, her childhood represented a big impact. That big impact I learned from the short story is through the struggle of education. We see this girl in a coming of age story viewing her background with much anticipation of the world. We don’t even know how Sylvia is educated. But we understood by Sylvia’s personality that she might have been well observative and analytical to her surroundings. But regardless if Sylvia is well educated, there can be other potential problems she has experienced through the story like her neighborhood and society. I imagine Ms. Moore would be the testimony behind Bambara’s past life if she were to be a real life person.

I would just like to add that I appreciate the exposure that Miss Moore is giving the children in her community. It’s an exposure that they more than likely would not have with out her.

I think this essay focuses more than the socio-economic issues in “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, you might look at how Slyvia grows and becomes more self-aware. At first, Sylvia is resistant, shown when she says, ” I’m really hating this nappy-head bitch and her goddamn college degree”, which emphasizes her first defiance towards Miss Moore. By the end, Sylvia reflection ” Ain’t nobody gonna beat me at nuthin,” shows she’s starting to think differently and she feels more determined.  Another perspective is Miss Moore could be seen as pushing the kids to see things differently, especially when she said, “Where we are is who we are,” encouraging them to question their surroundings. The toy store could symbolize dreams, when a toy is expensive it represents both dreams and aspirations: the wanting and The work. If I had to give this a title for this essay it would probably be “Growth and Symbols”.

If I were to write an essay on “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, I would probably write about childhood development and how it’s affected by different aspects. The title would be ” A Journey Through Childhood Development”. The introduction would give a quick idea of how someone’s childhood could have effects on a person’s current, and future, way of life and how it relates to the story. Each body paragraph would focus on how various interactions and thoughts affect the children differently, such as how Miss Moore tries to teach them in varying ways, the children’s view on her lessons (and each other) throughout the story, and how the children begin to change by the end. I would include certain parts from the story, like how the children realize how the world works, how they all want their piece, and how Sylvia starts to think through what she was being taught and how that could affect her future.

Hi everyone, I think I would write in an essay that is less about socio-economic issues and more about other interesting/important details or elements in the story is empowerment. Miss Moore is trying to get the students to take action that will change society. This would require them to stand out and speak up, to be different. Miss Moore is a good example of this with her “nappy hair and proper speech and no makeup.” She also doesn’t use her first name and doesn’t go to church. On the train ride back, Sylvia remembers one of Miss Moore’s refrains, “Where we are is who we are. . . But it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way.” The response she’s wants in return is “that poor people have to wake up and demand their share of the pie.” She wants to get through to the kids that they don’t have to be limited by where they grow up. The “demand” indicates that they will have to do something about it. She’s trying to empower them enough to take the necessary steps. I would name this story “Empowerment Awareness”.

While an AI generated essay on “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara would be about socio-economic and broad social issues, I found the narrator, Sylvia, and the start of her growth to be more interesting. In the beginning of the story, Sylvia found Miss Moore to be an annoyance. She hated the way Miss Moore looked, and the constant lessons she would try to teach the children. Sylvia called the teachings boring, and would much rather have gone to the pool. I interpreted this as Sylvia normalizing the way life was, and not caring about Miss Moore’s lessons. Once they headed to the store, Sylvia’s behavior changed. Once the realization hit her that people spend more money on pointless toys than her family spends on life essentials, she finally started giving it some thought. However, it wasn’t a complete 180 from before. She shut down when Miss Moore specifically asked her what she learned, and didn’t wanna hear Sugar realizing it too. It’s almost as if Sylvia didn’t want to believe what she learned, and was taking it out on the people around her. After all, Sylvia was a child, and growth takes time. I found the first step in her path to seeking a better life to be the most fascinating part, as it’s subtle change was realistic. As for the title of the essay, I think “The First Stage of Grief” is fitting, because Sylvia was essentially in denial of her reality even though she knew better.

As a psychology student, I would analyze The Lesson by focusing on Sylvia’s development and the emotional relationship between the kids rather than the big social issues. I think Sylvia’s sarcastic and tough personality is just a mechanism to protect herself from feeling vulnerable. She feels like Miss Moore is trying to make her feel less than her, which might be the reason she doesn’t like her. In reality, Miss Moore doesn’t force the kids to agree with her. She shows and teaches them things and lets them think for themselves. However, by the end of the story, we see Sylvia starting to think about things differently, even if she doesn’t want to admit it. I would present this in my essay to support my argument on Sylvia’s personal growth. Additionally, Sylvia’s conflict with Sugar would also play an important part in my essay. They’re close, but as Sugar starts to understand what Miss Moore is teaching, Sylvia feels betrayed. This tension shows how growing up can sometimes mean growing apart from people you’re close to. We can tell that Sylvia doesn’t want to be left behind, but she’s not ready to change yet, either. The essay title could be The Journey to Self-Discovery, focusing on how Sylvia’s internal conflict is a key part of the story. It’s less about money and more about how she’s learning, even when she doesn’t want to.

In an essay about “The Lesson”, by Toni Cade Bambara, regarding a different issue rather than the socio-economic issues and more about other interesting/important details or elements in the story I would write about how it emphasizes class distinction and identity through language. Sylvia’s rebellious, streetwise behavior and her contempt for authority are reflected in her casual, bold speech. Calling Miss Moore a “nappy-head bitch with a goddamn college degree” is an example of how she resists formal education and society norms through the use of slang. Because of her working-class background, Sylvia’s vocabulary reflects her pride in her neighborhood as well as her rejection of anything that goes against her worldview. On the other hand, Miss Moore stands out as an outsider due to her formal, educated vocabulary, which symbolizes her middle-class background. Despite having the same racial background, the different speaking styles emphasize their different social classes. Miss Moore’s lessons on injustice are alienating and transformative because of her proper English, which places her in a world of privileges and opportunities that the children, like Sylvia, cannot access. A title I would give to the story is “The Cost of Reality”.  

The short story, The Lesson, left me with thoughts that I find a little hard to describe. The main lesson being taught to the children by Miss Moore seems to be clearly about their socio-economic standing and the disparity between them and the people who may shop in the store. However, there seems to be a lesson more directly targeted towards Sylvia. It’s implied towards the end when Miss Moore says, “Anybody else learn anything today?” She asked that while staring at Sylvia, clearly directing the question at her. It may just be my personal bias, however, Sylvia’s attitude throughout the story possessed an air of entitlement. She would speak ill of others and seemed to think of herself as better than others in certain aspects. She also seemed to lord over her companions. There were also mentions of both anger and shame when upon experiencing the toy store, its atmosphere, and its prices. In the end, Miss Moore’s targeted question was the metaphorical final nail in the coffin that both sparked Sylvia’s competitiveness and humbled her. It made her stop and think about the day and what she experienced. It made her want to be better. That’s what I think I’d try to write about in an essay about this short story. An essay titled “A Lesson on Humility” about Sylvia’s shift and the lesson that was meant for her specifically. 

In Toni Cade Bambara’s short story “The Lesson,” the narrative shines with a sense of curiosity and discovery, as Miss Moore takes the children on a fun and thought-provoking trip. Miss Moore, a creative and thoughtful teacher, believes in learning through new experiences. Instead of simply telling the kids what to think, she brings them to the exciting FAO Schwarz toy store, where they get to see amazing and expensive toys like a $1,195 sailboat. The children are wide-eyed and intrigued as they wander through this new world, full of toys they could never have imagined, “So she leads us around the windows of the toy store and me and Sugar screamin, ‘This is mine, that’s mine, I gotta have that, that was made for me, I was born for that”’. It is fair to name this essay “Imaginary Spark”. Sylvia, one of the children, is a bright and lively character who, despite being strong-willed, finds herself thinking deeply by the end of the day. While she initially resists Miss Moore’s lesson, Sylvia’s natural curiosity and competitive spirit push her to reflect on what she’s seen. Rather than feeling discouraged, Sylvia’s reaction is one of excitement and motivation. The adventure has sparked a desire in her to explore new possibilities, and she leaves the story with a sense of determination and hope. The lesson, while subtle, awakens in Sylvia a playful yet meaningful drive to learn and grow.

After reading the story “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, there is a relationship between Ms. Moore and the children. Even if it might be a love/hate relationship, Ms.Moore does a great job teaching the kids a lesson. I would title this essay ” How My Teacher Taught Me a Lesson”. Being that their are many lessons of the story that can be interpreted, the children have different interpretations of the “lesson”. The children have different reactions to the world that Ms. Moore portrayed to them. Some of the kids responded well, while the other kids felt angry and embarrassed. Some of the children felt misplaced and nervous because they haven’t experienced anything like where they were. Ms. Moore wanted to show the children that there is more to life than the ” ghetto”. The relationship between the children and Ms. Moore is important because it shows how most children miss out on life because they are ” stuck” in the life they’re in.

“The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, the title does an excellent job explaining what the material is about. If I were to write an essay on the subject I would title it “My Glass Balloon”, the theme of “The Lesson” reminds me of a loss of innocence or a shattering of reality. The story has an unappreciated guardian who takes it upon herself to enlighten the children of her neighborhood. To the guardian, at least one child must understand their situation to break the generational cycle. The child who grasps their situation’s reality is now stripped of their rose-colored glasses. While this will change the child forever possibly creating a resentful mindset, if the child can process this and seek guidance there is no doubt that they will grow out of their environment. It will be a challenge relating to friends who do not realize their situation or resentment to their family for putting them in the situation in the first place. This can be quite isolating, it takes a strong personality to use this to make a positive outcome.

After reading ‘The Lesson’ by Toni Cade Bambara I can see how a writer would focus on economic disparity, lack of equal opportunity, racial inequity, and other broad social issues. However, what caught my attention the most was the relationship between Miss Moore and Sylvia. I would title my essay ‘The Relationship’ Miss Moore saw something in Sylvia that she didn’t see in the other children. Sylvia was smart and wise. We get to see this when Ms. Moore trusts Sylvia with the $5 for the cab ride. Sylvia seems to have a strong dislike for Miss Moore, and I believe it’s because Miss Moore actually challenges Sylvia when asking her questions and giving her responsibility. At the end of the story, Ms. Moore asks “Well, what did you think of F.A.O. Shcwarz?”, and was pleasantly surprised when Sugar responds. I guess because she didn’t expect a response from Sugar but from Sylvia instead. Which leads to Miss Moore looking directly at Sylvia when asking ‘Anybody else learn anything today?’ She really wanted Sylvia to engage because she knew Sylvia was in fact paying attention and had an opinion.

Reading “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara if I wrote an essay on it I would title my essay, “The Realism of The Lesson : Growing up in Harlem”. I felt a connection to the reading because I am from Harlem . When it came to Sylvia’s slang, the nick names for her friends around her block, even down to the relationship with Miss Moore I was able to relate to her character based on how I grew up. Nevertheless, I would use quotes from the source to further explain how the reading represented a reality by portraying the everyday life of a group of kids growing up in Harlem. In Conclusion, I would compare the deeper “Lesson” of the reading from the trip with Miss Moore to the community I grew up in and give examples of my “Miss Moore” back in the day. Growing up in the projects we had several community activities to keep us out of trouble and instead of “Miss Moore” being a family friend, our community leader was my cousin Sandra and outside of taking us on excursions out of the “Hood” we had to go to church every Sunday. Subsequently, my essay will break down the realism of the reading in comparison to my upbringing.

In my essay named “Perception”, i would focus on how, in the end of “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, Sylvia says, “And something weird is goin on, I can feel it in my chest. “Anybody else learn anything today?” lookin dead at me. I walk away and Sugar has to run to catch up and don’t even seem to notice when I shrug her arm off my shoulder”. Upon reading that line, i thought to myself just how much and deeply that trip to F.A.O Schwartz affected her perception of reality. In my essay i would dig deep into the mental status of the narrator and how she viewed life before and after seeing the prices of the toys in which also might have been a representation of so much more than imagined. I believe she had she struggled with opening up to people seeing as how she was an orphan. Miss Moore, was indeed so important to the lives of these young children and it was a particular knowing that she had with Sylvia. Perhaps she wanted to prepare her for what she could potentially do to change things in the future.

As I  read the story, “The Lesson “by Toni Cade Bambara, I was immediately drawn to the Sylvia’s description of Miss Moore. One of such is” This lady moved on our block with nappy hair proper speech and no makeup “(Bambara 1). There were many other reasons why Miss Moore stood out in this neighborhood, and one of them was that she was always planning something. For this reason my title for this story would  be “Teachable Moments.” On this occasion Miss Moore took the children to The Toy store on Fifth Avenue.  In this experience she piqued their interests to learn about new things; such as the paper weight and the microscope, had open discussions and explained the prices. However,  most of all she observed their reactions. “And I  watched Miss Moore who is steady watching us like she is waiting  for a sign” (Bambara 5). Miss Moore wanted them to broaden their thinking and enjoy their childhood. As Sylvia said” I’m thinking about this tricky toy I saw in the store. A clown that somersaults on a bar then does chin ups just cause you yank lightly to his leg” ( 5).

“Knowledge is Power” is what I would title the essay to my interpretation of the short story “The Lesson” by Toni Bombara. In the short story, we learn about Sylvia and her block friend’s trip with Ms. Moore and how one rip in their reality can cause them to believe there is more to them than where they come from. Sylvia is first presented in the story as someone who knows exactly who she is and has a good understanding of how the adults around her move, so there’s nothing that surprises her as she is a brilliant and observant young girl and won’t change for anybody, not even Ms. Moore. That is until she is given this new perspective in life, how the World around her is a lot more unforgiving than it seems, and how she has been dealt a poor hand for no other reason than losing the lottery in life to gain better opportunities. From there on she is angry with her new reality and how her small world has been ripped from her hands by Ms Moore but, it is not for nothing. It wasn’t just some painful experience Ms Moore wanted to inflict on these children but rather drive them to reach for more than their surroundings. I’m glad I see this in the final sentence where Sylvia announces how “ain’t nobody gonna beat” (Bombara)  her at anything, the lesson that Sylvia was trying so hard not to embody and detest ironically, ignites a fire in her.

My title would be “The different ways in which individuals conceptualize the same idea”. In the story “The Lesson”, They all live in the same neighborhood and they all live in very similar situations – Living in the ghetto with similar house holds. “while our mothers were in a la-de-da apartment up the block having a good ole time” (Bambara 1). However, during their visit to the toy store, they all had different reactions. In the end some personalized the experience while it flew over the heads of others. It had an effect on all of them but the severity of the effect is different. For example, Sylvia and sugar. They both understand the concept, that the lesson is a contrast to how they live versus how others live in relation to their financial stance. Thereafter, sugar accepts her reality and situation. The lesson never truly got through to her,  However, for Sylvia, her reality was threatened and in that moment she felt ashamed and somewhat vulnerable which she’s not used to. Those feelings urge her to change her situation instead of accepting it like sugar.

“The Lesson:, written by Toni Cade Bambara, speaks about social inequality and the limited economic opportunities available to minority groups. It discusses economic disparity, lack of equal opportunity, racial inequity, and other broad social issues. It also explored how the different classes and how they were viewed.  I would title this essay “The Social Inequality faced today” as this is something that is still experienced by numerous persons in our society today. In the story, a Black person was still referred to by derogatory names and slurs. Further the choice of words used in the reading addresses the stark contrast between the wealth of some and the poverty of others, revealing the social injustices faced by many. It illustrates how marginalized groups are often judged based on their physical characteristics, social status, and overall appearance, including their economic circumstances. By writing about this, readers from different ethnicities would be able to relate to the story.

This article is very thought-provoking and carries significant educational value in terms of self-awareness, self-reflection, and self-planning. For me, it holds a deep meaning in understanding oneself and planning for the future. If I were to write an article, I would title it “The Future” and focus on Miss Moore’s unique teaching methods. Her distinctive approach in education is designed to inspire young people never to be content with their current situation, which can be expressed in Chinese as “画地为牢” (creating a prison with one’s own limits). Miss Moore’s teaching encourages students to critically reflect on their present lives and their personal situations. By doing this, she motivates them to question their limitations and strive for continuous improvement. Her lessons are not just about accepting the status quo but about envisioning a better future. Through her innovative methods, Miss Moore helps students understand the importance of self-assessment and future planning, guiding them towards achieving a more fulfilling and successful life.

Tony Cade Bambara’s short story “A Lesson” not only explores social inequality, but also reveals social fissures even more through meticulous detail and rich characterization. Presented through a child’s perspective, the story draws out a complex world of emotions beyond a mundane class. If I were to write an essay, I’d focus on differences and inequalities. For example, Sylvia and her family live in an impoverished neighborhood with very little financial means. Her family’s financial situation is in stark contrast to Miz Moore’s family, and this disparity causes Sylvia to feel a strong resentment towards Miz Moore. As a result, Sylvia always had strong suspicion and dissatisfaction towards Miz Moore, and even nicknamed her “Miz Big Nose” in her mind. This shows that Sylvia is ashamed of her poor family background and is prejudiced against wealthy members of society such as Miz Moore. This stereotype and the inferiority complex of poverty reflects the economic inequality and racial prejudice that exists in society.

The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, expresses not only the few economic possibilities that minority groups have, but also the wealth, poverty and inequality that exist in society.  If I were to write an essay I would focus  on social differences,and  I would title it “Social inequality.” Firstly, because the way to start the reading, in with words that label people of color, such as in the first paragraph the description of Miss Morre refers to the word “black as hell”, which can be noted as a derogatory word to describe someone, since culturally hell would be considered a dark and hostile place.The reading also has to do with the social injustice that many people in the world suffer, while some have too much wealth, others have nothing.That is why the reading not only recounts the economic differences, but also how many special groups are marginalized due to their physical characteristics, their outcomes, and their appearance in a general sense, including economic capacity.

I plan to title the essay “Exploring Symbolism and Character Development in ‘The Lesson’ by Toni Cade Bambara.” This essay will take an in-depth look at the symbolic elements in the story, particularly focusing on the toys in the F.A.O. Schwarz store as metaphorical representations of the social and economic disparities experienced by the characters. Furthermore, I aim to conduct a thorough analysis of the character development of Sylvia and Miss Moore, delving into their individual motivations, personalities, and the shifts in their relationship as the narrative unfolds. By shifting the narrative lens from purely socio-economic concerns, my essay seeks to provide a comprehensive exploration of the literary elements and character interactions that contribute to the richness and depth of “The Lesson.” Through this approach, readers will be able to gain a more profound understanding of the story and gain a deeper appreciation for its layered themes and complexities, moving beyond the broader societal issues it addresses.

What is your understanding of the pre-writing task in Week 1 Activity? 10? What do you have to do? What is the purpose of the prewriting task? I understand that the pre-writing  task in week 1, activity 10 is an explanation of the steps necessary to create a good essay.The purpose is to understand the different steps in creating an essay. Because is important undestant the correct way for the construction to an essay with the order and sequences. What we need to do: 1: Read “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Week 1 Activity 1).  2: Read “Overview of ‘The Most Handsome Drowned Man’” by Dean Rader (Week 1 Activity 3) 3: Review the supporting guides in Week 1 4: Read Directions for Sample Student Essay (See Activity 10 Activity 5 PowerPoint on Thesis Statements Activity 6 PowerPoint “How to Insert Quotations into a Literary Essay” Activity 7 Format Illustration/Format Matters Video Activity 8 MLA Citation guide Read the Sample Student Essay (See Activity 10)

My understanding of the prewriting  assignment is that we are to evaluate a sample essay and determine whether the writer followed the instructions to create a good essay. First, we are instructed to read “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez as well as “Overview of ‘The Most Handsome Drowned Man'” by Dean Rader.  Next, we are to review a couple of PowerPoints, one on Thesis Statements and the other on “How to Insert Quotations into a Literary Essay”. The purpose of this is to teach us how to build the body of our essays. Next we are instructed to watch a format illustration video and review a MLA Citation guide to teach us proper MLA formatting and citations. After we have followed these steps carefully we are to ready to read directions for a sample essay as well as read the sample essay. Upon reading, we should be able to understand Thesis statements, insertion of quotations, proper MLA formatting and citations and determine if the sample essay has been written properly as well as write our own essays following the same guidelines going forward.

For Activity 10 we were instructed to evaluate a sample essay. I think the purpose of this assignment is to see if we understand what a thesis statement is,  how to properly write one, and  to see if we understand the components of a good essay. I also believe that it is setting an example of what the professor expects of us during this course. We will also get an understanding of how to generate a work cited page. We are basically understanding structure, learning different styles and tones, checking and improving what we write, noticing common errors, and gaining inspiration. All of this will allow for us to be better writers.

My understanding of the pre writing assignment is that we have to read ” The  most handsome drowned man” and ” Overview of the most handsome drowned man” and after we are done with these two text we go through the guidelines on how to make a well written essay following the format using quotation, making a strong thesis statement, after going over these reviews we read over the student sample essay to give us a brief and inside on what we as students should provide in our essays to come. The main purpose of these reviews is so that we will be able to come out as better writers in our future and make sure we maintain a high gpa because writing is not only used in English but in all of our courses weather its a short written paragraph or a long 10 page essay it keeps us retracing our tracks to make sure everything is written the way it should be.

The prewriting assignment is a guide to help students learn the necessary skills to begin the journey of writing their first essay correctly.  Delving into the PowerPoint presentation has been very eye-opening, making me aware of how to write an essay with the correct use of a thesis statement. Also, how to properly structure an MLA paper. I need more work when it comes to writing an MLA paper, so I look forward to writing. I know when properly structuring your paper you have to add quotations and correct citations. Learning all of these skills will prepare us for our first essay paper using the assigned readings. All in all, this prep work is giving me the tools I need to write at a higher level, which is the goal. As I move forward in my academic future I will need to learn to write at a higher level to ensure that my papers pass in whatever course I am taking. 

From my understanding, this prewriting assignment is designed to help us generate and organize ideas for the essay. It’s a multi-layered process meant to guide us in brainstorming, outlining, and narrowing down our focus. By working through activities from Week 1, we’ll learn how to effectively structure a literary essay, incorporate quotes, and use MLA style. For this specific essay, we’ll be using “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Dean Rader’s Overview to come up with our own thesis. Prewriting helps break down the story and guides us in understanding its deeper meaning, which will be essential as we develop our essay. This preparation lays the groundwork to ensure that when we start writing, we already have a clear plan and focus, making the writing process smoother and more effective. This thorough prewriting approach not only shows our writing process but also enriches our engagement with the text, allowing us to craft a more insightful and well-supported literary analysis.”

The prewriting assignment focuses on this week’s topic, which is identifying literary devices such as a thesis statement and being able to distinguish between primary and secondary sources.  The prewriting assignment helps us to understand the topics we are going to write about and also familiarizes us with the literary devices we are expected to use. It is understood that we have to read, “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, which is a primary source. Then, we have to read “Overview of “The Most Handsome Drowned Man”” by Dean Rider which is a secondary source that analyzes the story by Marquez. Eventually, we will have to evaluate a student sample essay to identify if the essay has a strong thesis statement, and if the student was able to effectively use both the primary source and secondary source, to discuss and analyze an idea expressed in the secondary source. This will then strengthen our own ability to be able to utilize strong thesis statements and analyze a secondary source using a primary source.

My understanding of the purpose of the prewriting essay in Week 1 Activity 10, is that this essay is a warm-up compared for the final essay. It allows for the summarization of the final essay. Based on my understanding, the purpose of the pre-writing assignment is to provide a guide and layout of the literary essay. In order to complete this essay, one would have to write a  thesis-driven essay discussing one of the ideas expressed in “Overview of ‘The Most Handsome Drowned Man’” by Dean Rader about the story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Just like any other essay, an introduction, body and conclusion will have to be created. Additionally, the essay has to be written in MLA format. The essay requires the following pages, in addition to the introduction conclusion and body, it requires the work cited page, a page for academic integrity and the citations for the stories.  

The prewriting assignment is a step-by-step guide to help students with the necessary skills and knowledge to write their first essay successfully. This process involves a thorough analysis of two assigned reading materials: “The Handsomest Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and a literary overview of “The Handsomest Drowned Man” by Dean Radar. Several PowerPoint presentations provide detailed instructions to guide them through creating a well-developed thesis statement, including a few examples of thesis statements and structure, how to correctly add quotations in the body of writing, a video of proper writing format, and how to correctly apply MLA citations. These resources are to ensure students, instilling in them the confidence that they have the essential tools to establish a solid foundation for their upcoming essays. Also, a detailed essay outline and a sample student essay are included as part of these resources to offer further guidance and reference.

My understanding of the pre-writing assignment is that we will be using all 3 resources provided to us, “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, “The Overview of “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” by Dean Rader, and the sample student essay to formulate the foundation of what will ultimately guide us to write essays efficiently and as smoothly as possible. As long as all 3 resources and the supporting guide posted on week 1 are used it will allow me to formulate my thesis statement and compose a strong essay. As well as to properly write an essay, as stated in step 3 of the pre-writing assignment, by following activities 5, 6, 7, and 8 which include sources as how to follow proper MLA format and quoting primary/secondary sources correctly, The purpose of the pre-writing assignment is to break down the story by Gabriel Marquez and use the resources provided to us so we can layer the similarities within each theme of our primary and secondary sources to create our main idea.

My understanding of the prewriting assignment in Week 1 activity. 10 is that it showed me how to write a good literary essay. I was able to see the process of making that essay. I had to watch a video that taught me about the formation in essays, as well as an illustration of that formation. I also was able to see the MLA citation guide which showed examples of the citations for books, journals etc. There was two PowerPoints that taught us everything we need to know as well as gave examples about both thesis statements and inserting quotes. I also read the stories and saw a student sample essay as well as the directions to that essay. Lastly, the purpose of this pre writing activity is for all of us to have the knowledge of what to do and not to do, in order to successfully submit the literary essay.

My understanding of the prewriting assignment’s purpose is to help make our essays stronger. One way that is done is by reviewing a sample student’s essay on “The Most Handsome Drowned Man”. Doing this allows us to see what past students did on the assignment, which can paint a clearer outline of what is being looked for versus what is not, while showcasing others’ perspectives on the subject we’ll be writing about. Another way it would help make our essays stronger would be a refresher, or introduction, on the correct usage of different aspects of the essay such as formatting, whether it be paragraph structure or the usage of quotations (shown in their video and PowerPoint, respectively), and how to properly write a thesis and its purpose in the essay (shown in its own PowerPoint). Lastly, the overview helps develop a further understanding of the novel, while also strengthening our use of sample student’s essays by adding more information to work with.

From my understanding, this prewriting assignment is the foundation and brainstorming part of the essay which is a multiple layered process that will outline the finished work. This is to help students prepare and organize their thoughts for the first literary essay. By using the sources provided in the activities of Week 1, you will learn how to outline a literary essay, step by step, as well as how to add quotes from primary and secondary sources, how to use MLA style, etc. The purpose of understanding these can help you organize your thoughts for all upcoming essays. For this very essay, we are to use “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the primary source, and “Overview of ‘The Most Handsome Drowned Man’” by Dean Rader which is the secondary source to come up with our very own thesis to write an essay about. Although there is no writing as of now, we are expected to follow the steps in Part 1 of writing Essay 1 for better understanding of the essay structure before we actually begin to write.

My understanding of the prewriting assignment in Week 1 Activity 10 is to read and do the multi-layered process with Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s and ‘The Handsomest Drowned Man’ and Dean Rader’s scholarly article, we have examples of a primary source and a secondary source, respectively. I would achieve this assignment by reading the story that was given as well as the summary of the story. I reviewed the supporting guides Professor Conway gave us in Week 1 and used the PowerPoints on Thesis Statements and “How to Insert Quotations into a Literary Essay”. After that, watching videos on format Illustration/format matters, learned MLA citation guides, and read the instructions for the student sample essay as well as being absorbed in the student essay sample. The prewriting aims to help us write our essay for this assignment in the future so we don’t have our thoughts written everywhere. These observations will also helps us ensure that our own essay follows the proper formatting requirements.

The purpose of the prewriting assignment is to help us organize their thoughts and ideas before writing up a draft, it serves the same purpose of an essay outline. It is a way to encourage brainstorming and planning to clarify the direction and structure of the writing assignment. In this case it would be used to identify key points, gather information to smoothly approach the topic in the best way possible. Our focus is on primary and secondary sources and how we identify them to my understanding. By reading “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and the overview on the passage by Dean Rader, we would fully evaluate the passage from our own perspectives. Using our resources provided to us on how to create a thesis statement, inserting quotes into a literary essay, format and MLA citation to avoid any mistakes and make the writing process easier.

The prewriting assignment is mainly for us to use the provided tools properly to improve the quality and organization of our essays. Starting with Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s and ‘The Handsomest Drowned Man’ and Dean Rader’s scholarly article, we have examples of a primary source and a secondary source, respectively. These readings will serve as foundational support for our thesis statement in the essay. However, when presenting our thesis statement, we need to be mindful of the key principles for structuring it correctly and avoiding common mistakes. As presented in the first PowerPoint, a thesis statement is a single sentence that clearly articulates the main idea of your essay. It should neither be a question, a simple fact, nor a simple announcement of the topic. Additionally, there is another PowerPoint that explains how to effectively use quotations to support your arguments in the essay. It’s important to keep in mind that it’s not only about inserting quotes without relevance or coherence. The quotes should align with the overall topic of your essay. Finally, we have a student sample as supplementary material to help us identify whether the prewriting assignment guidelines were followed. By referring to the format video and illustration, we can easily identify mistakes in the sample, such as incorrect font usage, no indentation at the beginning of paragraphs, and extra spaces between paragraphs. These observations will help us ensure that our own essay follows the proper formatting requirements. I definitely believe that the prewriting assignment is really important. Analyzing, reviewing, and following the prewriting assignment is crucial for meeting the requirements and consistently achieving our goals for this course.

The prewriting assignment  in week 1 is to prepare us to the format of writing in this class. We are getting familiar with the process of writing properly according to the correct format rules, how to organize our thoughts better and therefore having a better expression of the thesis. This prewriting assignment has several steps. The first, is to read “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. We also read “Overview of ‘The Most Handsome Drowned Man’” by Dean Rader. After the readings there were a few activities that included: reading about primary and secondary sources, presentation on thesis statements, presentation on how to insert quotes. We also had guides about proper use of MLA format. There were a video about why format matters, format illustration, and MLA citation guides. We were also asked to review student sample directions and student sample essay. In my opinion, the purpose of the prewriting assignment is to prepare us better for the upcoming course expectation regarding to the writing format. It gives us the basics from them we can learn and start the process of writing.

My understanding of the prewriting assignment for Week 1 is that it’s an activity to get us familiar with the Sample Student Essay, as well as the criteria that was set for it. For the activity, we were tasked with reading “The Most Handsome Drowned Man”: the short story that the Sample Student Essay was based on. After that, we also read an overview of the story. As for step three, we were linked a multitude of guides to look at. Such guides included a PowerPoint on thesis statements, a PowerPoint on inserting quotations, an illustration and video on formatting, and lastly an MLA citation guide. Once we finished looking at each of those guides, we moved onto reading the directions given for the Sample Student Essay. Finally, we were tasked with reading the Sample Student Essay itself. I believe the purpose of the prewriting assignment is to get us familiarized with the expectations that were set for the Sample Student Essay. In order to fairly and accurately evaluate the essay, it was necessary to read the source material itself, as well as learn how a student could meet said expectations.

For this week our Pre-writing step is the method or process that is done before we start to write our papers . In this pre-writing assignment for essay one there are multiple steps. step one would be for us to read  “The Handsomest Drowned Man”  which was written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. After completing the reading then I should also look on the overview/ literary critique of this book, followed by reviewing the supporting guides such as the PowerPoint on thesis statements and the second PowerPoint on how to insert quotations into a literary essay. we were also tasked with watching a video about format illustration and we should review the citation guide. The last two steps, had advised us to read the directions for the sample student essay, and then to read the sample student essay. After I’ve completed all these steps It will help me to write a thorough, detailed paper that will meet the grading criteria and it will bring ease to the process of me actually writing the paper, which is what pre-writing is about. It will provide aid to becoming more knowledgeable about the topic/ subject of our essay. Thereafter, this knowledge will equip me to write a successful essay.

The prewriting assignment in Week 1, Activity 10, is designed to help you begin preparing for your first essay. After completing various activities that involve reading Gabriel García Márquez’s “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World,” exploring related scholarly articles, understanding primary and secondary sources, and learning how to formulate thesis statements and use MLA citations, you are now asked to engage in prewriting. This step involves reviewing the provided directions and analyzing sample essays and directions to understand how to structure your own work. The purpose of this prewriting assignment is to help you organize your thoughts and ideas before drafting your essay. It encourages you to critically engage with the text, the scholarly articles, and the essay-writing techniques you’ve learned, ensuring that your eventual essay is well-informed and thoughtfully constructed. This process serves as a foundation, guiding you in developing a clear thesis and effectively integrating evidence from both primary and secondary sources.

What is your understanding of the prewriting assignment in Week 1 Activity. 10? What do you have to do? What is the purpose of the prewriting assignment? The purpose of a prewriting assignment is to generate ideas to make a strong essay. Prewriting helps brainstorm ideas to be prepared to write an essay. It helps us focus and plan for finding a purpose and an audience for the essay. Reading “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez , breaking down the story is important because it helps us understand the story . Prewriting the story plans how the story is going to take place and the importance of how the story is portrayed. Prewriting the essay summarizes and helps narrow the focus of the topic to be more specific. Breaking down the story helps the writer capture the environment of the story. The author wrote this story to persuade the reader to use their imagination.

What is your understanding of the prewriting assignment in Week 1 Activity. 10? What do you have to do? What is the purpose of the prewriting assignment? In my understanding, the pre-writing assignment is to help give us more structure and clarity on how to properly construct future essays and other assignments whilst integrating the MLA format. In week 1, we started off by reading “The Handsomest Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez as well as an article by scholar Dean Rader which distinguished the difference of primary and secondary source. We were then provided with several inks, some of which fully demonstrate how to use the MLA format and others were sample essays. I believe that these essays are somewhat based on how we are to write our upcoming assignments. I believe that with the proper pre-writing and understanding of the required format, our essays will be well written and up to Ms. Conwell’s standard.

A prewriting assignment is a task that helps you plan and organize your ideas before you start writing a full essay or paper. It’s like making a map before a trip. This process involves brainstorming ideas, outlining, and gathering information. The goal is to figure out what you want to say and how to say it effectively. For instance, you might jot down your main idea and arrange them in a logical order. This preparation makes the actual writing easier and more focused. By spending time on prewriting, you ensure that your final piece is clear and well-organized. Essentially, prewriting helps you think through your topic and plan your approach, so when you start writing, you have a clear direction and structure. Making sure that all the essay is written in an organized structure and is making sense.

The objective of the prewriting assignment is to help us gain a comprehensive understanding of writing an essay, and how it should be formatted and executed. This week we start off by reading “The Handsomest Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Additionally, we also read secondary sources such as the overview of “The Handsomest Drowned Man” by Dean Rader, and past essays based on the story. In doing so we gained a stronger understanding of what primary and secondary sources are, and how our work should be articulated. PowerPoints also helped aid us by clarifying important components in a structured essay, such as explaining what a strong thesis is and providing key examples of good and bad illustrations. As well as how to successfully insert quotes. We also view a short video on the importance of formatting. Furthermore, we are also able to view a sample essay with highlighted notes on format, font, paragraph structure, and MLA citations. The examples and sources covered in this pre-writing assessment are a very helpful tool. One that I will utilize constantly as it provides a structured guideline to follow when writing and covers all the bases in a successful essay.